The Big Chill Soundsystem Tour
1st May - 1st June 2003.

I look back at this tour with fondness. Blatting around the country on the road with a group of friends is always great fun. Lol Hammond, Pete Lawrence, Laura B, John Rixon, Adam Seaman, Marc Everett and myself played a variety of venues to mixed audiences but we all enjoyed ourselves to the max!

Pete and Lol were DJing, Laura and myself were playing live sets and the other guys were providing the visual accompaniment - always stylish. There were obviously more memorable nights en route, and the ones that spring to kind are Reading, Leeds, Manchester and Aberdeen... all for different reasons.

Assorted Tour Notes by Laura B.

Last night we played at 'The Talking Heads' in Southampton. The venue's resident sound engineer, Shaggy, looked after us brilliantly! Pete played a 1 hour set, Bruce played for 45 mins, then Pete played a further 45 mins, until I came on for about 40 mins. Finally, Lol came on for about 50 mins. Visually, there was one large screen on stage, 2 hanging nets in the middle facing each other and tons of slides on the walls. We all enjoyed ourselves 100%... Talked to people who were sitting cross-legged on the dancefloor - top Big Chill vibe! John brought me my mobile back when I LOST IT! This is only our 2nd gig and we're learning fast what works and what doesn't. I think it's important to talk to the audience as much as poss - communicate. Our hotel had the smallest room ever. After the gig we all piled in Pete's car (5 of us) with Amukidi in the boot, covered with gear...

We're now on our way to Birmingham. This morning when we went to meet Bruce to got the gear out of the venue we left John stuck in the boot ! That was funny... Shaggy was there to help, having had a great time the previous evening. We're gonna stop somewhere for lunch. Comments from the night : Bruce: "very loud", Adam: "a bowel rumbler", Pete: "A filling shaker", Shiloh (my guest) called me "Warrior Princess". The Bays nicked my stands, too... Lol: "least favorite night of the tour", Amukidi: "building was a bit brutal". It was nice to see Richard DiffDrum. In terms of running order, Pete first - enjoyed himself but felt very disengaged. Bruce played his own stuff off cds, including some really old material and Adam's visuals were very in tune with his music. Laura - great set really enjoyed it, great monitors and everything, really went for it on my synth and then The Bays played, their set was too brutal and fierce. Finally, Lolly 'DANCEWHORE'Hammond went for it rave stylee!

Reading (Po Na Na) - the promoter Rob says "best night ever". Tea people on standby all night, fantastic! Lol's set banging then more and more chilled. Laura (I was very tired) sublimeness... Pete mid- tempo funky set with Wozza on percussion. Bruce really enjoyed it and played right across the board. Visuals 'Investigating the wobbly wipes and transparent textures'... got very caned! Very hot, too - like a sauna in fact. A guy with a 'Manteaser' t-shirt came and said he was expecting some banging techno, but instead found me performing and thought it was rather nice! Bruce:"The most unlikely fan came in the form of a chap with a mohican". Slept at Pete's friends, my ears ring so loud I can't sleep.

Sheffield attracted a smallish crowd who turned out to watch us perform. A friend of Bruce's, John Booth has shop called FORM (interior design). He's bought an AO print of Bruce's EP01 cover picture to promote his new shop! 9 til 10 Lol played - he was chilled as a polar bear's toenails! From 10 til 11 Bruce played - he didn't really get into it, though. From 11 til 12 Pete played - he called it disjointed, however Bruce says it was the best set for Pete so far...

Manchester What a party !!! Worst turn out of the whole tour, although wicked venue, wicked stage and superb sound system. We chose to jam and interact instead of playing sets. Bruce and I sang with Pete as he was dj'ing etc.. Full on party live on stage! Then, once the place had shut, Pete and Lol went to bed, Marc went to his friends, so Bruce and I played for another 2 or 3 hours jamming. Neil Paterson was there too.

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